Should Superman be outright best at anything?

[Jim Kelly]

In my opinion, Superman is the most powerful Kryptonian because he's the only one that truly exists. But for the sake of the argument, putting aside this opinion, I would still say he should be the most powerful of the Kryptonians like him. He grew up on Earth with these powers from an early age, so he's very experienced in using them.

And if all of his adventures as Superboy can be in continuity, then that's a lot of experiences--fighting and teaming up with hundreds of other super-beings. At the same time, he's gone through so many experiences where he doesn't have powers or he's a girl or he's an ape or he's blind, that by the time he's a Superman there's almost nothing he hasn't had to endure. And what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

[Adekis]

Superman should be the best overall. At any individual thing, I can go either way, but in the final analysis if it doesn't add up to him being the absolute greatest hero in the history of the universe, then someone did the adding wrong.

[jimmy]

In my opinion, Superman is the most powerful Kryptonian because he's the only one that truly exists. But for the sake of the argument, putting aside this opinion, I would still say he should be the most powerful of the Kryptonians like him. He grew up on Earth with these powers from an early age, so he's very experienced in using them.

And if all of his adventures as Superboy can be in continuity, then that's a lot of experiences--fighting and teaming up with hundreds of other super-beings. At the same time, he's gone through so many experiences where he doesn't have powers or he's a girl or he's an ape or he's blind, that by the time he's a Superman there's almost nothing he hasn't had to endure. And what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

In my opinion I generally agree, that Superman is "head and shoulders" at the "Top of the food chain" in power and abilities. Also, it is my presumption, that Superman is slowly becoming (evolving) into a "Cosmic Intergalactic Being" who is able to tap in and interact with the very fabric of the universe on a quantum level, as the constant and concentrated bombardment of solar and various cosmic particles is mutating his cellular structure to accommodate and allow for greater; absorption, containment and variety of energies - where, he too, not only becomes a vast cosmic reservoir for this energy, but a self-renewing quantum generator of this energy.

[adkal]

So should Superman be more powerful than other Kryptonians?

In my opinion, it depends on the Kryptonian and when in Superman's career.

I'm of the view that Kal adapts over time and that whatever doesn't kill him, whatever he's able to overcome, only makes him stronger. It might not be immediately noticeable (to him or the reader) but I think that's how it tends to be.

Early in his career, blasts of electricity and clouds of toxic gas could knock him out/disorient him etc, but, later, those same attacks get shrugged off (or inhaled) because he's stronger.

Gravitational forces push and pull and even threaten to spaghettify him but, later, he can escape from a black hole or even hold a miniature one in his hands.

All his experiences and adventures add to his power level.

With Kryptonians, I'm of the view that initial exposure to a yellow sun triggers their abilities at a massive level - like super-adrenaline - so they can be (almost) at their 'peak' level almost straight away but, depending on power-use, that 'high' drops down so that, eventually, they're at AC1-level (which should be Kal's base level when he's depowered by means other than magic (as he was in Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite)). Extensive power-use and that could be a matter of hours; less use and it could be weeks or months before their body 'levels out' and then, most probably, it would take years to get up to significant level (unless they're exposed to concentrated levels (like Zod was when he was healing from an otherwise fatal injury back in the New Krypton arc)).

Experience
Adaptability
Survival
Exposure

Key elements to Kal being 'top dog' (in my opinion).

[Joker Venom]

I've always disagreed with people saying Superman shouldn't be the best at anything. Usually, what I've observed is that it's people who low-key hate him and want their favorite to be better. Not saying that's anyone here, it's just what I've observed.

My take is, Superman should be top of the food chain when it comes to strength, and by a significant margin. Strength is his thing. Think about it, you ask people who they think of when they think of a strong superhero, and more often than not, Superman will be the one they think of first. Also, given that he can grow more powerful, as he absorbs more and more solar energy, there's no reason he shouldn't definitively be No. 1.

He should also be tops in stamina and durability. His only rival in terms of invulnerability among heroes should be Captain Marvel/Shazam, due to his invulnerability being magic-based.

As for speed, the Flash should be definitively faster, due to his connection to the Speed Force. But I'd say that Superman should be the fastest hero without a Speed Force connection, and fast enough to make the Flash work for his victory. Superman has been traditionally held up as being able to rival the Flash. No reason for that to change.

As for smarts, I'd like to see a return to his super-intelligence and him inventing gadgets like in the Pre-Crisis days. But guys like Batman and Mr. Terrific could still be the brains of the team, because they have extensive applied knowledge in areas that Superman doesn't. But, Superman shouldn't be dumbed down to a guy who solves problems with his fists just because Batman is in the room, either.

[Kuwagaton]

Why the extreme? Batman has always been more tactically intelligent and it has never created an obligation for Superman to either exceed him or be useless. There are probably some really bad examples, but there are also good examples, depending on the writer and context of the story.

Strength... it's actually one of my favorite powers, but it's kinda useless without the other powers. There are so many ways to save the day without strictly being able to lift x amount or even theoretically lifting infinite amounts. Whereas Flash does well with little aside from speed and Lex manages to keep up with Superman by only using his brain.

Superman should be the best overall. At any individual thing, I can go either way, but in the final analysis if it doesn't add up to him being the absolute greatest hero in the history of the universe, then someone did the adding wrong.

Yeah, the math is rather simple. Winning an Olympic gold is the highest level of athletics, but such a feat pales in comparison to say, a college quarterback who's able to win even bronze in five events. Such a person would be declared the best athlete without a question.

[Incognito]

When it comes to the concept of strength, durability, invulnerability and power, then yes Superman should should be the best because people see him as the strongest superhero and they call him the 'Man of Steel' because of his physical imperviousness. Also he should be physically the strongest and durable superhero, and his experience and giving people hope makes him an inspiration, and path a way for more heroes to come out that is why Captain Marvel was inspired by Superman's action.

I see Superman as one of the fastest beings on Earth without having being connected to the Speed Force (his flight allows him to bend space-time, because of his body storing energy from the sun for two or three decades. He should be one of the smartest because of his Kryptonian brain, but I think it is something to dow with nature vs nurture, because he was treated as a human and has a mindset of a reporter but his natural brain functions should allow him to operate faster than any humans, also he has extensive archives on Krypton inside his Fortress of Solitude so he should be able to create technology that humans has never achieved. Supergirl may not be strong as Superman but I think she should be more smarter when it comes to science because of her upbringing on Krypton.

[son_ofgolem]

Superman should be the best fighter but when the justice league bowl he should be the worst bowler/

[Trey Strain]

I can't think of any character who should be proclaimed the outright "best" at anything. Just let the stories speak for themselves.

[Kuwagaton]

Superman should be the best fighter but when the justice league bowl he should be the worst bowler/

You obviously hate Superman, because him not being the best bowler is precisely why Character X is topping the charts.

[LordUltimus]

So how would characters like Bizarro, Doomsday, and Darkseid fit in?

[adkal]

So how would characters like Bizarro,

Well, if Superman's the best then Bizarro would be the worst, no?

Doomsday,

Is more an 'act of nature' that can sometime get distracted

and Darkseid fit in?

Darkseid Is.

[raidensix]

When it comes to the concept of strength, durability, invulnerability and power, then yes Superman should should be the best because people see him as the strongest superhero and they call him the 'Man of Steel' because of his physical imperviousness. Also he should be physically the strongest and durable superhero, and his experience and giving people hope makes him an inspiration, and path a way for more heroes to come out that is why Captain Marvel was inspired by Superman's action.

I see Superman as one of the fastest beings on Earth without having being connected to the Speed Force (his flight allows him to bend space-time, because of his body storing energy from the sun for two or three decades. He should be one of the smartest because of his Kryptonian brain, but I think it is something to dow with nature vs nurture, because he was treated as a human and has a mindset of a reporter but his natural brain functions should allow him to operate faster than any humans, also he has extensive archives on Krypton inside his Fortress of Solitude so he should be able to create technology that humans has never achieved. Supergirl may not be strong as Superman but I think she should be more smarter when it comes to science because of her upbringing on Krypton.

This.

A side note on the intelligence part, Kryptonians should be smarter than humans even under a red sun as their evolution should have given them a more complex brain (like the aliens in Alien Nation being better in math than humans by default).

[LordUltimus]

So should Superman be a better detective than Batman?

[Sacred Knight]

No. If anything just for the reasoning that its much easier for Bruce to get in the minds of those he's chasing, because of his own darkness, something that isn't in Superman. If there's anything Superman should outright suck at, its getting into the head and relating to a villain's dark urges. Because he doesn't have them.